Starlit Reflections
by Nanuri
Summary: After Miaka and the Seishi part ways, Chichiri takes the time to reflect over his fate, and that of his friends. This work is a fanfic, but the message is pretty much universal. Bordering on angst, but uplifting at the same time. Complete.


**Disclaimer:** Pathetically enough, I actually have to write one of these. To make a long story short, Yu Watase owns the characters, plot, and rights to Fushigi Yuugi, not I. Unfortunately.

Also, it has been brought to my attention that other fanfic may happen to have the same title as mine… my response to this is "So?" It's fanfic. The names aren't any more copyrighted than the stories we're writing. Thanks anyway to the person who pointed this out.  
  


~*Starlit Reflections*~

  
They're gone for good. I suppose Miaka's leaving finally made that fact register in my brain. All of them gone... Nuriko, Chiriko, Mitsukake, Hotohori. Gone forever. Never to return.

And yet as strange as it seems, I feel no sense of sadness. Rather, seeing them again, if only for a very short time, fighting with them again… it put a lot of things in perspective. Instead of the empty longing I used to feel for each of the others, I feel a sense of completeness, of... comfort. Because each of us was born to fulfill a set destiny - to protect the Suzaku no Miko. No matter what the cost. Each of them died fulfilling that divine promise to the utmost of their ability, and even their deaths served a purpose. 

Gentle Nuriko… he died showing us the courage we would need in the fight ahead, and the sacrifices we would need to make. Sweet little Chiriko, his death gave us a glimmer of hope to guide us through our darkest day. His determination, courage, and love taught us all a lesson in that awful time. Brave, loyal Hotohori… he embodied the devotion and love all we Seishi all felt towards our Miko… he died giving Miaka another chance at the happiness he can now never have. And Mitsukake... he demonstrated the ultimate sacrifice of life for love. Each of them served their purpose, and had no regrets about what they did. As I have no regrets.  
  
As I look up at the stars tonight, my eye is pulled unavoidably towards the south. I can see the constellation of Suzaku twinkling brightly, and I smile wistfully as I greet each of my fellow Seishi, my star brothers, by name. They shine brightly down at me from the heavens. They have not gone there for an ending, but for a beginning. They did what they set out to do on this earth, in this life, and that is why they were taken from us so quickly - to begin their new future somewhere else. Just as Miaka and Tamahome have begun to start their new future in her world - to live the life they were destined to live. Together. Once they have fulfilled their destiny, their lives, they will be with my dear friends again. And once I have fulfilled mine, I will join them. In the meantime, I must be content with my memories of all that passed between us, and the knowledge that I will join them someday. And that is enough.  
  
_~Owari_  
  


  
Author's Notes: I wrote this fic mostly because I re-watched the last 11 episodes of the original two seasons, and watching it again really DID put a lot of things, death and destiny included, into perspective. Death really isn't an end so much as a beginning, especially for the Suzaku no Seishi and Miko... and that truth really does bring about a sense of peace and comfort. This is the third draft of this story, made a bit longer and a bit deeper. The only major change is that this fic is no longer from Tasuki's POV - it is now a Chichiri fic because Chichiri's deep thinking mirrors the way I feel about these issues. The newly added and modified bits were added to try to emphasize my point - that the seishi's lives were complete and full, and that everything they did served some purpose. Even their deaths. And that no matter what happens in this world, or any other, everything happens for a reason. I also modified it a bit because I am extremely upset at the Fushigi Yugi OAVs - the series ended, I finally realized, exactly as it should. Those who died had no regrets about their lives, or their deaths, and those left behind realized this and were determined to live on so that they would have no regrets about theirs. To extend the series was absurd, and Eikoden was the last straw. 

As always, reviews are appreciated.


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